5 min readJul 31, 2026 02:07 PM IST Thousands of migrants crossed into Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta from Morocco on Thursday, overwhelming local authorities, prompting Madrid to deploy troops and leaving at least 18 people dead in one of the biggest border crossings since the 2021 migration crisis. Spain’s Interior Ministry said on ⁠Friday ​that ​according to ​its ⁠estimates, some 49,000 ‌migrants had crossed into ⁠the enclave of ⁠Ceuta over ‌the past 24 ​hours, ​as ​they rushed ​by sea ⁠and land ‌from Morocco, Why are migrants suddenly crossing? Spain remains one of the main gateways into Europe for migrants who are seeking better economic opportunities and who are fleeing conflict and persecution. The North African enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla are the European Union’s only borders with Africa. This has been one of the main entry points for those who are hoping to reach the continent. Many migrants risk their lives while trying to enter Europe by swimming from the Moroccan towns of Fnideq or Belyounech to Ceuta. Many others try to breach …